Insect-killer



F. W. WALLACE.

INSECT KILLER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, um.

Patented Del:u 20, 1921,

3] m vewtoz INSECT-JKILLER.

etiltlfltd t Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2th litlftil.

Application filed March 2 1, 1921. Serial 3:10. 455,1fl9.

' 0 all re/ mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. Wnrmaon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Uhai'ztanooga, in the county of Hamilton and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful improvements in insect- Killers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

lhis invention relates to insect killers, and more specifically to an improved toy pistol or fly swatter.

One object of this invention is to generally improve upon devices of this character by providing improved structure which is of exceedingly simple construction and can be manufactured at a comparatively low cost, from ordinary wire parts and sheet metal stampings.

@ther objects and advantages will be pointed out or implied in the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the device in its cooked or set position.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing he device in its operating position.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the front and intermediate portions of the device.

Fig. 4c is a perspective view of the guiding or hearing member detached.

Referring to these drawings in detail, in which similar reference characters corre spend with similar parts throughout the several views, the device comprises a main frame portion 1, a striker or swatter 2, a spring pressed actuator, 3, a spring controlled trigger t and the guiding member 5.

The frame 1 is preferably constructed of a single length of wire so as to simulate a pisstel; that is the contour of this frame is similar to that of a pistol. In other words, the frame 1 is formed by bending a piece of wire to form a loop which serves as a pistolgrip 6 and a trigger support The trigger a is pivoted to the lower part of the loop 6'? and extends upward across this loop, and thence extends laterally across the top of the loop and normally rests thereon, be ing held in this normal position by means of a spring 8 which has its rear end anchored within the loop 67 of the frame 1, so that this spring is protected by the loop. The frame 1. also includes a barrel-like forward extension 9 which simulates the barrel of the pistol. The swatter or striker 2 is pivotally mounted on the front end of this barrel-like portion and extends upward therefrom when in cocked or setposition, but this striker can swing forward on its pivot substantially into alineinent with the barrellike portion 9, as illustrated in Fig. 3. It will be seen, therefore, that the device can be operated to strike insects upon a vertical surface, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, or to strike them when they are upon a horizontal surface, the barrel-like portion 9 being horizontal in each case.

The actuating device 3 is pivotally con nected to a bearing or ear 10 on the shank of the swatter or striker 2, and this actuating device incl .des laterally flexible and springy plunger 11 which may be connected directly to the car 10 or may be connected thereto through the medium of a link 12' which is pivotally connected thereto according to the present embodiment of the inventionas illustrated. The plunger 11 is mounted to slide longitudinally in the guide or bearing member 5, and this hearing member is preferably of the construction shown in Fig. l, that is, provided with bifurcated ends which are turned laterally of the intermediate porticn of the strip or blank and straddle the portion of the wire which constitutes the upper part of the frame 1. The space or recess between the furcations of each end of th member 5 is wider at its lower portion than at its upper portion, the wider part, indicated at 13, having arcuate upper sides to conform to the upper side portions of the fi me 1 and limit the downward movement of the member 5 when it is seated on the frame, during the assembling of the parts of the machine. The comparatively narrow upper portion of each recess in the member 5 is but slightly wider than the plunger 11 which slides therein. By thus forming the member 5, it can be quickly, easily and cheaply made from a blank of sheet .metal, and enables the parts to be quickly and easily assembled by first placing the plunger on the frame 1, next placing the member 5 in position by passing it laterally for engagin the plunger 11 and frame 1 between its rcations, in the recess 13, and then soldering, brazing, electrically velding or otherwise securing the bifurcated ends of this member to the frame 1.

The plunger 11 may be provided with a collar 15 or any appropriate form of spring seat against which a spring 16 has one end seated. The other end of this spring is seated against the rear bearing element or bifurcated end of the member 5. Obviously,-the

spring 16 is compressed when the plunger 11 is retracted or drawn rearward, and forces the plunger forward when it is released from its retracted position. This plunger is preferably provided with a handle 17 which may be engaged by a finger or thumb of the user for retracting the plunger. A forwardly facing abutment 18 is fixed on the plunger 11, and a rearwardly facing abutment 19 is fixed on the frame 1. These abutments are provided with cam faces, so that they can slide on one another into position for being interlocked, and the spring action of the plunger 11 moves them into the interlocked engagement with one another. When thus interlocked, as is shown in Fig. 1, the portion 20 of the trigger 4, which extends laterally of the frame 1, is under the rear; end portion of the plunger 11, and when this element 20 is raised, as shown in Fig. 2, the abutmenfs 18 and 19 are disengaged from one anotherso that the spring 16 can move the plunger forward. In order that the element 20 may be raised by the manipulation of the user in a manner similar to that in which a pistol-trigger is manipulated, this trigger has a detaching portion 21 which is engageable with the fore-finger of the user so as to swing the trigger 4 from its inclined position to its vertical or operative position. 7 V

It is not intended to limit this invention to the exact details of construction and arrangement as described and shown, but changes may be made within the scope of the inventive ideas as implied and claimed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination of a supporting body including a handle at its rear end, a striker pivoted to the front end of said body, a guide on said body, actuating means including a' flexible plunger mounted to slide forward for actuating said striker, abutments on said body and plunger to interlock for holding said plunger retracted, a spring for forcing said plunger forward when said abutments are unlocked, and a trigger pivotally mounted on said body and having its upper end portion'extending between and laterally of said body and plunger, said trigger being normally inclined to the length of said plunger sothat its actuating manipulation flexes said plunger away from said body and thereby unlocks said abutments.

2. The combination of a supporting body including a handle at its rear end, a striker pivoted to the front end of said body, a guide on said body, actuating means including a flexible plunger'mounted to slide forward for actuating said striker, abutments fixed on said body and plunger respectively to interlock for holding said plunger retracted, said plunger being of springy material and automatically operable to move its abutment 7 into interlocking engagement with that of said body when the plunger is retracted, a spring for forcing said plunger forward when said abutments are unlocked, and a trigger pivotally mounted on said body and having its upper end portion extending between and laterally of said body and plunger, said trigger being normally inclined to the length of said plunger so that its actuating manipulation flexes said plunger away from said body and thereby unlocks said abutments.

3. The combination of a supporting body, a guide on the top thereof, a plunger mounted to slide rearward and forward in said guide, an abutment on the top of said body, an abutment on the bottom of said plunger and adapted to interlock with the first said abutment for holding the plunger in its rearward position, a spring to force said plunger forward when its abutment is released from that of said body, a striker on said body and operable by the forward movement of said plunger to strike forward, and a trigger pivoted on one side of said body and having a lateral extension between said body and plunger, said trigger being normally at an incline so that its lateral extension is raised by its actuating manipulation and raises the abutment of said plunger out of locking engagement with that of saidbody.

4. The combination of a wire frame having the general contour of a pistol and including a loop to serve as a combined grip and trig ger-support, said frame also including a barrel-like portion which extends forward from said loop, two hearings on and extending up from the top ofsaid frame, a striker mounted to move forward on said barrel-like portion, means including a spring and a plunger to actuate said striker, said plunger being slidable in and guided longitudinally by said bearings, said spring being between i said bearings and correlated with one of these hearings for actuating said plunger, said frame and plunger being provided with means to lock the plunger in its retracted position under tension of said spring, artrigger pivoted to the lower side of said loop and extending to and beyond the top of the loop and thence laterally across said top so as to normally rest on said top, and a spring to hold said trigger in this normal position, said spring having one end anchored within said loop, said trigger being operable to unlock said plunger.

5. In an article of manufacture, a wire supporting member, a wire plunger of smaller wire-gage than said supporting member, a spring around and engaged with said plunger for actuating the plunger, and a 130 sembling', the plunger and its spring can be passed laterall into their respective seats, whereupon saic supporting member can be passed laterally into its seat and secured therein, thereby securing the plunger and spring in their seats as shown.

In testimony whereoi I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK W. WALL AGE. 

